Blossom In Adversity - Vol. 2

C275. Ling Village.

Chapter 275: Ling Village

Between Lingzhou County and Xiangyang, there was another county called Li. Knowing that the situation in Lingzhou was dire, the group had lunch in Li County, prepared some dry food, and hired a guide familiar with Lingzhou before continuing their journey.

But nothing could compare to the shock of seeing it with one's own eyes. Once they left the official road, the path became a broken, dilapidated track. Thankfully, they were on horseback; a carriage would have been unable to make the journey.

The guide, whose name was Liu Da, rode a mule and introduced them to the place in his half-baked official dialect, "The people of Ling Village use this path to come and go, but they don't come out more than a few times a year."

The Sixth Prince asked curiously, "Ling Village? Isn't it Lingzhou County?"

"That's what we call it around here. There are only a few hundred people in total. What else could you call it but a village? Even our big villages don't have that few people." Liu Da grinned, revealing a mouthful of black teeth, and pointed ahead. "There it is."

Without him needing to say anything, the others could see it too. Black stone houses were built against the mountain, clustered together on the mountainside. The mountain was black, and the houses were black. Hua Zhi couldn't imagine how depressing it must be to live there.

Someone spotted them, and people began to emerge from the houses. Gu Yanxi didn't want to provoke them and reined in her horse, waiting for them to approach.

Hua Zhi surveyed this place that had been abandoned by the Great Daqing Dynasty. At a glance, the bare mountain was devoid of any vegetation. There were no fertile fields, no rivers, no human voices, and no birdsong. It was so quiet that it seemed as if no one lived there.

"Is there a government office here?"

"There used to be, but no one wanted to come anymore. Only Li County knows that people still live here. Tao Laoda, it's me."

Four men approached, their skin dark, each carrying a shoulder pole. The man at the front nodded to Liu Da but remained wary.

Liu Da was used to their attitude and didn't take it personally. He felt a certain sympathy for them. Living in such a place that could drive a person to despair, it was already quite an achievement to survive.

"Tao Laoda, this is Mr. Lu. He says he wants to do business with you. I thought it was a good thing and brought him here. Mr. Lu, Tao Laoda is the village head of Ling Village. If you have anything, you can talk to him."

After the introduction, Liu Da said a few words to Elder Tao in a dialect that Hua Zhi and the others couldn't understand. Then he turned to leave with his mule, "You talk slowly. I've finished my task.

Xu Ying handed over the agreed-upon silver. Liu Da grinned widely, "Keep the money. Just discuss the business deal properly. They've really had it tough."

"Wait," Gu Yanxi called out. "Can they understand Mandarin?"

Liu Da slapped his forehead. Of course, how could he forget? Knowing he was still needed, Liu Da didn't stand on ceremony. He patted the shoulder of the village elder, Tao, and gestured for him to lead the way.

It was unclear what Liu Da had conveyed in the dialect, but the hostility in Elder Tao's eyes faded. He led the group up the mountain.

Even the nearest house required a climb up uneven, single-file steps.

Gu Yanxi walked slowly, hand in hand with Huazhi. "The people here are probably extremely insular and distrustful of outsiders."

"More than that, they probably don't have a favorable view of the government."

Hua Xhi looked down at the clearly hand-hewn steps. "More than unfavorable, I'd say. If I were them, I wouldn't feel guilty about rebelling."

"Have you decided where to relocate them?"

"I hadn't before, but now I think Li County would be a good fit. It's nearby and the customs are similar, so they'll adapt more quickly."

Hua Zhi agreed. As the instigator of this plan, she was willing to contribute some silver to help them settle in.

Finally reaching level ground, Hua Zhi sighed in relief. "Should we let Xiao Liu handle the negotiations?"

Gu Yanxi looked at Xiao Liu, who met his gaze with both anticipation and trepidation. He didn't know if he could do it, but since Sister Hua had said so, he would try his best!

"Very well."

Hua Zhi called Xiao Liu over and patted the dirt from his sleeve. "You know the situation. Xiao Liu, they are your Gu family's people. It's your responsibility to ensure they have a better life."

The Sixth Prince suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders. He pursed his lips and nodded vigorously.

Hua Zhi smiled and gently pushed him forward. Words were not as effective as firsthand experience.

Gu Yanxi looked at her deeply. Just as everyone expected him to step forward, he took a step back to stand beside Hua Zhi, leaving Xiao Liu to face old Tao, who was looking back. Age was a disadvantage. Without time to think, Xiao Liu mustered all his courage. Seeing old Tao's furrowed brow smooth out, he relaxed.

Elder Tao shouted a few sentences in dialect towards the upper room before entering. Hua Zhi saw the heads that had poked out from various rooms retreat again and exchanged a glance with Gu Yanxi, gaining a clear understanding of Elder Tao's authority in this Lingzhou County. As long as they could persuade Elder Tao, this matter would essentially be settled.

Shao Yao disliked the cramped room and after a glance at the doorway, went outside to stay. Only the Sixth Prince, Gu Yanxi, and Hua Zhi followed him into the room.

Liu Da looked around and sat beside Elder Tao, clearing his throat, diligently acting as a middleman. "I wonder what kind of business Mr. Lu wants to discuss?"

The Sixth Prince quietly took a deep breath, imagining himself clad in armor and wielding a weapon. He said loudly, "Before I came, I heard that this Lingzhou produces a kind of stone, the same kind that is used to build houses in Ling Village. I wonder if Tao the Elder can show me a piece?"

Old Tao the Elder and Liu Da whispered a few words, and Liu Da nodded, asking, "Tao Laoda asks if this young man can make decisions?"

Gu Yanxi nodded. "He is my brother, and his words count."

Receiving an affirmative answer, Elder Tao didn't waste any words and directly went to the corner of the room to carry over a stone that had been polished quite smooth.

Hua Zhi watched as Xiao Liu examined the stone with great seriousness, suppressing a smile. This was indeed a good breakthrough. The people of Ling Village were wary, and it was better to make a deal with them to put their minds at ease rather than offering benefits.

After coming out on this trip, Xiao Liu had indeed grown a lot, and his handling of things showed a certain maturity. When they returned, Bai Lin would probably be overshadowed. But that was a good thing.

"That's right, it's exactly what we need." Xiao Liu put down the stone. "I need a large quantity. I wonder how Elder Tao wants to trade?"

Elder Tao and Liu Da exchanged words for a long time, and Liu Da said frankly, "Tao Laoda says he doesn't want silver. If Mr. Lu can take the children of Ling Village away, they are willing to dig stones for you."

Xiao Liu, however, did not relent. "If I'm not mistaken, the stone mountain you live on produces exactly this kind of stone."

Elder Tao was taken aback. Could this person mean... that they should move to another place?